This invention relates to compounds that inhibit farnesyl-protein transferase and ras protein farnesylation, thereby making them useful as anti-cancer agents. The compounds are also useful in the treatment of diseases, other than cancer, associated with signal transduction pathways operating through ras and those associated with CAAX-containing proteins other than ras that are also post-translationally modified by the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase. The compounds also act as inhibitors of other prenyl transferases, and thus are effective in the treatment of diseases associated with other prenyl modifications of proteins.
The mammalian ras gene family comprises three genes: H-ras, K-ras and N-ras. The ras proteins are a family of GTP-binding and hydrolyzing proteins that regulate cell growth and differentiation. Overproduction of normal ras proteins or mutations that inhibit their GTPase activity can lead to uncontrolled cell division.
The transforming activity of ras is dependent upon localization of the protein to plasma membranes. This membrane binding occurs via a series of post-translational modifications of the cytosolic ras proteins. The first and mandatory step in this sequence of events is the farnesylation of these proteins. The reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase (FPT), and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) serves as the farnesyl group donor in this reaction. The ras C-terminus contains a sequence motif termed a xe2x80x9cCys-Aaa1-Aaa2-Xaaxe2x80x9d box (CAAX box), wherein Cys is cysteine, Aaa is an aliphatic amino acid, and Xaa is a serine or methionine. Farnesylation occurs on the cysteinyl residue of the CAAX box (Cys-186), thereby attaching the prenyl group on the protein via a thio-ether linkage.
In accordance with the present invention, a compound of the formulas I, II

 
its enantiomers and diastereomers, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs and solvates thereof inhibit S-farnesyl protein transferase which is an enzyme involved in ras oncogene function. In formulas I and II and throughout this specification, unless otherwise specified, the symbols are defined as follows:
l, m, r, s and t are 0 or 1;
n is 0, 1 or 2;
Y is selected from the group consisting of CHR12, SO2, SO3, CO, CO2, O, NR13, SO2NR14, CONR15, C(NCN), C(NCN)NR16, NR17CO, NR18SO2, CONR19NR20, SO2NR21NR22, S(O)(NR23), S(NR24)(NR25), or without Y;
Z is selected from the group consisting of CR12, S, SO, SO2, SO3, CO, CO2, O, NR13, SO2NR14, CONR15, NR26NR27, ONR28, NR29O, NR30SO2NR31, NR32SO2, NR33C(NCN), NR34C(NCN)NR35, NR36CO, NR37CONR38, NR39CO2, OCONR40, S(O)(NR41), S(NR42)(NR43) or CHR12; or without Z;
R7, R8 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, nitro, cyano and Uxe2x80x94R44;
U is selected from the group consisting of S, O, NR45, CO, SO, SO2, CO2, NR46CO2, NR47CONR48, NR49SO2, NR50SO2NR51, SO2NR52, NR53CO, CONR54, PO2R55 and PO3R56 or without U;
R9, R10, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, R21, R22, R23, R24, R25, R26, R27, R28, R29, R30, R31, R32, R33, R34, R35, R36, R37, R38, R39, R40, R41, R42, R43, R45, R46, R47, R48, R49, R50, R51, R52, R53, R54, R55, R56, R57, R58 and R59 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, substituted alkyl or aryl or sustituted hetercyclo;
R11 and R44 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocyclo, substituted heterocyclo;
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocyclo, substituted heterocyclo, cyano, carboxy, carbamyl (e.g. CONH2), substituted carbamyl (where nitrogen may be substituted by groups selected from hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, substituted aryl, heterocyclo, substituted heterocyclo), alkoxycarbonyl; any two of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and
R6 can join to form a cycloalkyl group; any two of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 together can be oxo, except when the carbon atom bearing the substituent is part of a double bond;
R, S and T are selected from the group consisting of CH2, CO and CH(CH2)pQ wherein Q is NR57R58, OR59, or CN; and p is 0, 1 or 2;
A, B and C are carbon, oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen; D is carbon, oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen or without D.
With the provisos that
1. When l and m are both 0, n is not 0.
2. R11 may be hydrogen except when Z is SO, or when Z is O, NR13 or S and the carbon to which it is attached is part of a double bond or when Y is SO2, CO2, NR18SO2, S(O)(NR23), or S(NR24)(NR25).
3. R44 may be hydrogen except when U is SO, SO2, NR46CO2 or NR49SO2.
Listed below are definitions of various terms used to describe this invention. These definitions apply to the terms as they are used throughout this specification, unless otherwise limited in specific instances, either individually or as part of a larger group.
The term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d refers to straight or branched chain unsubstituted hydrocarbon groups of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 7 carbon atoms. The expression xe2x80x9clower alkylxe2x80x9d refers to unsubstituted alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
The term xe2x80x9csubstituted alkylxe2x80x9d refers to an alkyl group substituted by, for example, one to four substituents, such as, halo, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, hydroxy, alkoxy, cycloalkyloxy, heterocylooxy, oxo, alkanoyl, aryloxy, alkanoyloxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, aralkylamino, cycloalkylamino, heterocycloamino, disubstituted amines in which the 2 amino substituents are selected from alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, alkanoylamino, aroylamino, aralkanoylamino, substituted alkanoylamino, substituted arylamino, substituted aralkanoylamino, thiol, alkylthio, arylthio, aralkylthio, cycloalkylthio, heterocyclothio, alkylthiono, arylthiono, aralkylthiono, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, aralkylsulfonyl, sulfonamido (e.g. SO2NH2), substituted sulfonamido, nitro, cyano, carboxy, carbamyl (e.g. CONH2), substituted carbamyl (e.g. CONH alkyl, CONH aryl, CONH aralkyl or cases where there are two substituents on the nitrogen selected from alkyl, aryl or aralkyl), alkoxycarbonyl, aryl, substituted aryl, guanidino and heterocyclos, such as, indolyl, imidazolyl, furyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, pyrrolidyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl and the like. Where noted above where the substituent is further substituted it will be with alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl or halogen.
The term xe2x80x9chalogenxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chaloxe2x80x9d refers to fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d refers to monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon groups having 6 to 12 carbon atoms in the ring portion, such as phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl and diphenyl groups, each of which may be substituted.
The term xe2x80x9caralkylxe2x80x9d refers to an aryl group bonded directly through an alkyl group, such as benzyl.
The term xe2x80x9csubstituted arylxe2x80x9d refers to an aryl group substituted by, for example, one to four substituents such as alkyl; substituted alkyl, halo, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, cycloalkyloxy, heterocyclooxy, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy, amino, alkylamino, aralkylamino, cycloalkylamino, heterocycloamino, dialkylamino, alkanoylamino, thiol, alkylthio, cycloalkylthio, heterocyclothio, ureido, nitro, cyano, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, carbamyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylthiono, arylthiono, alkysulfonyl, sulfonamido, aryloxy and the like. The substituent may be further substituted by halo, hydroxy, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, substituted aryl, substituted alkyl or aralkyl.
The term xe2x80x9calkenylxe2x80x9d refers to straight or branched chain hydrocarbon groups of 2 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 15 carbon atoms, and most preferably 2 to 8 carbon atoms, having one to four double bonds.
The term xe2x80x9csubstituted alkenylxe2x80x9d refers to an alkenyl group substituted by, for example, one to two substituents, such as, halo, hydroxy, alkoxy, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkanoylamino, thiol, alkylthio, alkylthiono, alkylsulfonyl, sulfonamido, nitro, cyano, carboxy, carbamyl, substituted carbamyl, guanidino, indolyl, imidazolyl, furyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, pyrrolidyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl and the like.
The term xe2x80x9calkynylxe2x80x9d refers to straight or branched chain hydrocarbon groups of 2 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 15 carbon atoms, and most preferably 2 to 8 carbon atoms, having one to four triple bonds.
The term xe2x80x9csubstituted alkynylxe2x80x9d refers to an alkynyl group substituted by, for example, a substituent, such as, halo, hydroxy, alkoxy, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkanoylamino, thiol, alkylthio, alkylthiono, alkylsulfonyl, sulfonamido, nitro, cyano, carboxy, carbamyl, substituted carbamyl, guanidino and heterocyclo, e.g. imidazolyl, furyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, pyrrolidyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl and the like.
The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a optionally substituted, saturated cyclic hydrocarbon ring systems, preferably containing 1 to 3 rings and 3 to 7 carbons per ring which may be further fused with an unsaturated C3-C7 carbocyclic ring. Exemplary groups include cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclodecyl, cyclododecyl, and adamantyl. Exemplary substituents include one or more alkyl groups as described above, or one or more groups described above as alkyl substituents.
The terms xe2x80x9cheterocyclexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cheterocyclicxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cheterocycloxe2x80x9d refer to an optionally substituted, fully saturated or unsaturated, aromatic or nonaromatic cyclic group, for example, which is a 4 to 7 membered monocyclic, 7 to 11 membered bicyclic, or 10 to 15 membered tricyclic ring system, which has at least one heteroatom in at least one carbon atom-containing ring. Each ring of the heterocyclic group containing a heteroatom may have 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms and sulfur atoms, where the nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms may also optionally be oxidized and the nitrogen heteroatoms may also optionally be quatemized. The heterocyclic group may be attached at any heteroatom or carbon atom.
Exemplary monocyclic heterocyclic groups include pyrrolidinyl, pyrrolyl, indolyl, pyrazolyl, oxetanyl, pyrazolinyl, imidazolyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, oxazolyl, oxazolidinyl, isoxazolinyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolyl, isothiazolidinyl, furyl, tetrahydrofuryl, thienyl, oxadiazolyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, 2-oxopiperazinyl, 2-oxopiperidinyl, 2-oxopyrrolidinyl, 2-oxazepinyl, azepinyl, 4-piperidonyl, pyridyl, N-oxo-pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, tetrahydropyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl sulfone, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl sulfoxide, thiomorpholinyl sulfone, 1,3-dioxolane and tetrahydro-1,1-dioxothienyl, dioxanyl, isothiazolidinyl, thietanyl, thiiranyl, triazinyl, and triazolyl, and the like. Exemplary bicyclic heterocyclic groups include benzothiazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzothienyl, quinuclidinyl, quinolinyl, quinolinyl-N-oxide, tetrahydroisoquinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, benzimidazolyl, benzopyranyl, indolizinyl, benzofuryl, chromonyl, coumarinyl, cinnolinyl, quinoxalinyl, indazolyl, pyrrolopyridyl, furopyridinyl (such as furo[2,3-c]pyridinyl, furo[3,1-b]pyridinyl] or furo[2,3-b]pyridinyl), dihydroisoindolyl, dihydroquinazolinyl (such as 3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-quinazolinyl), benzisothiazolyl, benzisoxazolyl, benzodiazinyl, benzofurazanyl, benzothiopyranyl, benzotriazolyl, benzpyrazolyl, dihydrobenzofuryl, dihydrobenzothienyl, dihydrobenzothiopyranyl, dihydrobenzothiopyranyl sulfone, dihydrobenzopyranyl, indolinyl, isochromanyl, isoindolinyl, naphthyridinyl, phthalazinyl, piperonyl, purinyl, pyridopyridyl, quinazolinyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, thienofuryl, thienopyridyl, thienothienyl, and the like. Exemplary substituents include one or more alkyl groups as described above or one or more groups described above as alkyl substituents. Also included are smaller heterocyclos, such as, epoxides and aziridines. The term xe2x80x9cheteroatomsxe2x80x9d shall include oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen. The xe2x80x9cABCDxe2x80x9d fused ring may be monocyclic or bicyclic, e.g. napthyl or quinolyl in nature.
The compounds of formulas I-II form salts which are also within the scope of this invention. Pharmaceutically acceptable (i.e. non-toxic, physiologically acceptable) salts are preferred, although other salts are also useful, e.g., in isolating or purifying the compounds of this invention.
The compounds of formulas I-II may form salts with alkali metals such as sodium, potassium and lithium, with alkaline earth metals such as calcium and magnesium, with organic bases such as dicyclohexylamine, tributylamine, pyridine and amino acids such as arginine, lysine and the like. Such salts can be obtained, for example, by exchanging the carboxylic acid protons, if they contain a carboxylic acid, in compounds of formulas I-II with the desired ion in a medium in which the salt precipitates or in an aqueous medium followed by evaporation. Other salts can be formed as known to those skilled in the art.
The compounds for formulas I-II form salts with a variety of organic and inorganic acids. Such salts include those formed with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, methanesulfonic acid, hydroxyethanesulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, maleic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid and various others (e.g., nitrates, phosphates, borates, tartrates, citrates, succinates, benzoates, ascorbates, salicylates and the like). Such salts may be formed by reacting compounds of formulas I-II in an equivalent amount of the acid in a medium in which the salt precipitates or in an aqueous medium followed by evaporation. In addition, zwitterions (xe2x80x9cinner saltsxe2x80x9d) may be formed. Compounds of the formulas I-II may also have prodrug forms. Any compound that will be converted in vivo to provide the bioactive agent (i.e., the compound for formulas I-II) is a prodrug within the scope and spirit of the invention.
For example carboxylate ester, which are conveniently formed by esterifying any of the carboxylic acid functionalities found on the disclosed ring structure(s).
Various forms of prodrugs are well known in the art. For examples of such prodrug derivatives, see:
a) Design of Prodrugs, edited by H. Bundgaard, (Elsevier, 1985) and Methods in Enzymology, Vol.42, p. 309-396, edited by K. Widder, et al. (Acamedic Press, 1985);
b) A Textbook of Drug Design and Development, edited by Krosgaard-Larsen and H. Bundgaard, Chapter 5, xe2x80x9cDesign and Application of Prodrugs,xe2x80x9d by H. Bundgaard, p. 113-191 (1991);
c) H. Bundgaard, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 8, 1-38 (1992);
d) H. Bundgaard, et al., Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 77, 285 (1988); and
e) N. Kakeya, et al., Chem Phar Bull, 32, 692 (1984).
It should further be understood that solvates (e.g., hydrates) of the compounds of formulas I-II are also within the scope of the present invention. Methods of solvation are generally known in the art.
For compounds of the present invention, the following moieties are preferred:
In compounds of Formulas I and II, n is 1 or 2.
More preferred are compounds of Formulas I and II wherein n is 1 or 2 and xe2x80x9cABCDxe2x80x9d is a carbocyclic ring, e.g. benzo.
The compounds of formulas I-II are inhibitors of S-farnesyl protein transferase. They are thus useful in the treatment of a variety of cancers, including (but not limited to) the following;
carcinoma, including that of the bladder, breast, colon, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, pancreas, stomach, cervix, thyroid and skin; including squamous cell carcinoma;
hematopoietic tumors of lymphoid lineage, including leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkins lymphoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, hairy cell lymphoma and Burketts lymphoma;
hematopoietic tumors of myeloid lineage, including acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias and promyelocytic leukemia;
tumors of mesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma and rhabdomyoscarcoma;
other tumors, including melanoma, seminoma, tetratocarcinoma, neuroblastoma and glioma;
tumors of the central and peripheral nervous system, including astrocytoma, neuroblastoma, glioma, and schwannomas;
tumors of mesenchymal origin, including fibrosarcoma, rhabdomyoscaroma, and osteosarcoma; and
other tumors, including melanoma, xenoderma pigmentosum, keratoactanthoma, seminoma, thyroid follicular cancer and teratocarcinoma. The compounds of formulas I-II are especially useful in treatment of tumors having a high incidence of ras involvement, such as colon, lung, and pancreatic tumors. By the administration of a composition having one (or a combination) of the compounds of this invention, development of tumors in a mammalian host is reduced.
Compounds of formulas I-II are also useful in the treatment of diseases other than cancer that are associated with signal transduction pathways operating through ras, e.g., neuro-fibromatosis, atherosclerosis, pulmonary fibrosis, arthritis, psoriasis, glomerulonephritis, restenosis following angioplasty or vascular surgery, hypertrophic scar formation and endotoxic shock. Compounds of formulas I-II are also useful as anti-fungal agents. Compounds of formulas I-II are also useful in the treatment of diseases associated with farnesyl transferase substrates other than ras (e.g., nuclear lamins and transducin) that are also post-translationally modified by the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase.
Compounds of formulas I-II also act as inhibitors of other prenyl transferases (e.g., geranylgeranyl transferase I and II), and thus can be effective in the treatment of diseases associated with other prenyl modifications (e.g., geranylgeranylation) of proteins (e.g. the rap, rab, rac and rho gene products and the like). For example, they may find use as drugs against Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infections, as suggested by the recent finding that geranylgeranylation of the large isoform of the delta antigen of HDV is a requirement for productive viral infection [J. S. Glen, et al., Science, 256, 1331 (1992)].
Compounds of formula I-II also induce or inhibit apoptosis, a physiological cell death process critical for normal development and homeostasis. Alterations of apoptotic pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases. Compounds of formula I-II, as modulators of apoptosis, will be useful in the treatment of a variety of human diseases with aberrations in apoptosis including cancer (particularly, but not limited to follicular lymphomas, carcinomas with p53 mutations, hormone dependent tumors of the breast, prostrate and ovary, and precancerous lesions such as familial adenomatous polyposis), viral infections (including but not limited to herpesvirus, poxvirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Sindbis virus and adenovirus), autoimmune diseases (including but not limited to systemic lupus erythematosus, immune mediated glomerulonephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases and autoimmune diabetes mellitus), neurodegenerative disorders (including but not limited to Alzheimer""s disease, AIDS-related dementia, Parkinson""s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, retinitis pigmentosa, spinal muscular atrophy and cerebellar degeneration), AIDS, myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, ischemic injury associated myocardial infarctions, stroke and reperfusion injury, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, toxin-induced or alcohol induced liver diseases, hematological diseases (including but not limited to chronic anemia and aplastic anemia), degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system (including but not limited to osteoporosis and arthritis), aspirin-sensitive rhinosinusitis, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, kidney diseases, and cancer pain.
The compounds of this invention are also useful in combination with known anti-cancer and cytotoxic agents, i.e. Topoisomerase I and II inhibitors, antimetabolites, agents that affect microtubules, DNA intercalaters and binders, agents that interfere with angiogenesis, DNA alkylating agents, hormonal agents, protein kinase inhibitors, ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors, mitochondrial respiratory inhibitors, agents that affect Golgi apparaus, telomerase inhibitors, prenyl transferase inhibitors, cell membrane interactive agents, and treatments, including radiation. If formulated as a fixed dose, such combination products employ the compounds of this invention within the dosage range described below and the other pharmaceutically active agent within its approved dosage range. Compounds of formulas I-II can be used sequentially with known anticancer or cytotoxic agents and treatment, including radiation when a combination formulation is inappropriate.
Farnesyl transferase assays were performed as described in V. Manne et al., Drug Development Research, 34, 121-137, (1995). The compounds of Examples 1-13 inhibited farnesyl transferase with IC 50 values between 1 nM and 100 uM.
The compounds of this invention can be formulated with a pharmaceutical vehicle or diluent for oral, intravenous or subcutaneous administration. The pharmaceutical composition can be formulated in a classical manner using solid or liquid vehicles, diluents and additives appropriate to the desired mode of administration. Orally, the compounds can be administered in the form of tablets, capsules, granules, powders and the like. The compounds are administered in a dosage range of about 0.05 to 200 mg/kg/day, preferably less than 100 mg/kg/day, in a single dose or in 2 to 4 divided doses.
Compounds of formula I or II are prepared by the following schemes.

 
Step 1
In Scheme 1, a compound 1 is suitably protected by, for example, a tertbutyloxycarbonyl group or a alkylsulfonyl. The reaction is carried out in an inert organic solvent e.g. THF at from xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. to about room temperature in the presence of a base e.g. sodium hexamethyldisilazide.
Step 2
The compound 2 is reduced via hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst e.g. platinum oxide. The reaction is carried out in the presence of an alcohol e.g. ethanol at about room temperature.
The compound 3 wherein R1 is a halogen, e.g. bromine, may be prepared from the compound 3 wherein R1=H by reaction with a halogenating agent, e.g. tetrabutylammonium tribromide, in an inert solvent such as chloroform at about room temperature.
Step 3
Thereafter the various products can undergo reductive alkylation in the presence of an acid e.g. acetic acid, a reducing agent e.g. NaBH(OAc)3 in an inert organic solvent e.g. dichloroethane at about room temperature to 60xc2x0 C. Reductive alkylation may also be performed using hydrogen and a catalyst such as Pd on carbon in a solvent such as ethanol in the presence of an acid such as acetic acid at about room temperature.
Step 4
In step 4 of Scheme 1, the amine protecting group is removed (e.g., Boc by an acid such as TFA in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride).
Step 5
In step 5 of Scheme 1, the resulting compound is reacted under standard conditions with a variety of active acylating or sulfonylating agents (such as acids under carbodiimide conditions or acid chlorides to form amides; sulfonyl chlorides to form sulfonamides) to form the claimed compound 7 where R3=H. Alternatively, the compound 5 is reacted under standard reductive amination conditions with aldehydes as described in Step 3 of Scheme 1 to form the compound 6 where R3xe2x89xa0H. The resulting compound is reacted under standard conditions with a variety of active acylating or sulfonylating agents as descibed above to form the claimed compound 7.

 
A compound 1 of scheme 2 could be obtained by the procedure described for the compound 3 of scheme 1. The amine protecting group is removed (e.g., Boc by an acid such as TFA in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride). The resulting compound 2 is reacted under standard conditions with a variety of active acylating or sulfonylating agents as described in step 5 of scheme 1 to form a compound 3. If compound 2 is treated with optically active acyl group such as mandelic acid, the resultant diastereomers could be separated by standard methods of purification such as silica gel chromatography. Removal of acylating group under standard conditions such as treatment with sulfuric acid could afford homochiral compound 2. If P.G. in compound 1 is Zxe2x80x94R2, then compound 4 could be obtained directly from compound 1. Thereafter, it could be reacted under standard reductive amination conditions as described in step 3 of scheme 1. The imidazole of a compound 4 is optionally protected and the resulting compound can be reacted with R4xe2x80x94L in an inert solvent such as DMF, THF or methylene chloride in the presence of a base such as sodium hydride at from 0xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C., where L is a leaving group such as chloride, bromide, mesylate, tosylate or triflate and R4 is a substituted alkyl group, a substituted aryl group or a substituted heterocylic group. Alternatively, protected compound 4 can be treated with an alcohol under xe2x80x9cMitsunobuxe2x80x9d conditions e.g. in the presence of triphenylphosphine and diethylazodicarboxylate. Thereafter, the product is deprotected e.g. in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid to obtain the claimed compound 5.

 
The compound 1 of Scheme 3 wherein R1 is CN can be prepared from the compound 3 of scheme 2 wherein R1=halogen by displacement with CuCN in an inert solvent such as NMP at elevated temperature or with Zn(CN)2 in the presence of a catalyst like tetrakistriphenylphosphine Palladium. A compound 1 of scheme 3 can be alkylated as described in step 3 of Scheme 2. Thereafter it is reacted under standard reductive amination conditions as described in step 3 of scheme 1 to obtain the claimed compound.

 
The first step is accomplished by combining a sulfonyl chloride with the hydrochloride salt of an amino acid ester in an organic solvent in the presence of a base such as a tertiary amine at room temperature to give compound 2.
Step 2
The compound 2 is reacted with a compound 3 such as benzyl alcohol under standard Mitsunobu conditions (triphenylphosphine, diisopropylazodicarboxylate, THF as solvent) at room temperature to give compound 4. A compound 3 where R1 is aryl can be prepared from a compound 3 where R1 is bromo, iodo or trifluoromethanesulfonyl, by coupling of an aryl or heteroaryl metaloid derivative such as phenylboronic acid using a catalyst such as palladium acetate or tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium in a mixed solvent such as water/acetone in the presence of a base such as sodium carbonate at from room temperature to 90xc2x0 C.
Step 3
Thereafter, the product is saponified under basic conditions such as lithium hydroxide in a solvent such as water/THF to give a compound 5.
Step 4
Thereafter, the compound 5 is converted to the acid chloride by treatment with thionyl chloride in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride in the presence of a catalytic amount of pyridine at 35xc2x0 C. The resulting acid chloride is cyclized to give the compound 6 via a Friedel-Crafts type cyclization method in the presence of a Lewis acid such as aluminum trichloride in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride.
Step 5
Thereafter, the compound 6 is reduced to the compound 7 by treatment with a reducing agent such as sodium borohydride at room temperature in a protic solvent such as ethanol.
Step 6
Thereafter, the compound 7 is converted to the compound 8 by treatment with an azide compound such as diphenylphosphorylazide in the presence of a base such as DBU in an organic solvent such as toluene at 0xc2x0 C.
Step 7
Thereafter, the compound 8 is converted to the compound 9 by treatment with a reducing agent such as lithium aluminium hydride in an organic solvent such as THF.
Step 8
Thereafter, the various products can undergo reductive alkylation in the presence of an acid such as acetic acid, a reducing agent such as sodium triacetoxyborohydride and an aldehyde such as formylimidazole in an inert organic solvent such as dichloromethane at room temperature to 50xc2x0 C to give the compound 10.

 
Beta-amino ester 1, obtained from alfa-amino esters by methods known in the art, could be reduced to alcohol (X=OH) by a reducing agent such as lithium borohydride. The alcohol group could be then converted to a halogen such as bromine by methods known in the art such as carbon tetrabromide in the presence of triphenyl phosphine. The protecting group P.G. could then be removed if desired e.g. Boo group could be removed by treatment with HCl in dioxane. The free amine could be converted to sulfonamide (Z=SO2) by treatment with various sulfonyl chlorides such as benzenesulfonyl chloride. Thereafter, compound 3 could be converted to a phosphonium ylide by treatment with triaryl or trialkylphosphines such as triphenylphosphine. Thereafter, ylide 4 could be treated with variously substituted imidazole aldehydes such as 1-trityl-4-formylimidazole in the presence of a strong base such as lithium hexamethyldisilazane to obtain compound 5 containing cis or trans double bond. Thereafter, compound 5 could be alkylated at nitrogen by treatment with variously substituted 2-bromotoluenes containing a leaving group on the methyl group, such as 4-Bromo-3-(bromomethyl)benzonitrile in the presence of a base such as potassium hexamethyldisilazane to afford compounds of type 6. Thereafter, a compound 6 could be cyclized in the presence of a catalyst such as palladium acetate in the presence of a base such as triethylamine to obtain compound 7. If a protecting group R3 such as triphenylmethane is used, it could be removed by treatment with an acid such as trifluoroacetic acid.
Protecting groups as used herein may be used in the above processes with amines having reactive functionalities, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, mercapto, guanidino, imidazolyl, indolyl and the like. The particular protecting groups used for any amino acid residues depend upon the other groups to be protected and are generally known in the art. Exemplary protecting groups include acetyl, benzoyl, benzyl, t-butyl and the like for hydroxyl; cyclohexyl, benzyl, methyl, ethyl, t-butyl and the like for carboxyl; benzyl, 4-methylbenzyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, acetyl, acetamidomethyl, triphenylmethyl (trityl) and the like for mercapto; t-butoxycarbonyl (Boc), benzyloxylcarbonyl (Cbz), N-[(9H-Fluoren-9-ylmethoxy)carbonyl] (Fmoc), phthaloyl (Pht), p-toluenesulfonyl (Tos), trifluoroacetyl, 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethoxycarbonyl (Teoc) and the like for amino; 2,4-dinitrophenyl, benzyloxymethyl, Tos, Boc, trityl and the like for imidazolyl; formyl, Cbz, Teoc, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl carbamate (TROC) and the like for indolyl; and tosyl, nitro, bis(1-adamantyloxycarbonyl) and the like for guanidino.
Protective groups may be removed, if desired, by, for example, treatment with one or more deprotecting agents in an inert solvent or solvent mixture. For examples of protecting groups and suitable deprotecting agents, see M. Bodansky and A. Bodansky, xe2x80x9cThe Practice of Peptide Synthesisxe2x80x9d, Springer-Verlag, Inc. (1984); and T. W. Greene and P. G. M. Wuts, xe2x80x9cProtective Groups in Organic Synthesisxe2x80x9d, Second Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1991.